Thomas Warsap was born in the Parish of Boston, Lincolnshire in 1836. In his late teens, most likely spured on by battle stories of Balaklava and the 'Charge of the Light Brigade', he enlisted as a Private in the 2nd Battalion of 13th Light Dragoon Guards at Doncaster, Yorkshire on the 17th November 1855, signing up for 12 years. He was assigned the regimental number 1000. He gave his age as 19 years and 10 months and he was listed as a Labourer by trade, described as 5 feet 5½ inches tall, with a fresh complexion, brown eyes, and dark brown hair.

On May 29th, 1856 the regiment disemebarked at Gosport in order to be received by Her Majesty the Queen. The review being concluded, the regiment re-embarked on the same day, having received orders to proceed to Ireland. The 13th Light Dragoons arrived at Queenstown on May 30th, where having disemabarked they marched for Ballincollig and Cork.

Private Warsap spent 350 days in the 13th Light Dragoons (later known as 13th Hussars) before transferring to the newly formed Military Train regiment on 1st November 1856. Colonel McMurdo was appointed Director General. He retained the best officers and other ranks from his old Land Transport Corps. There were 3 battalions, each of 6 troops and having 27 officers, 480 other ranks and 546 horses. Private Warsap was in 2nd Battalion.

On 28th April 1857, aboard the freight ship Bleurie Castle (spelling to be confirmed) the 2nd Battalion Military Train commanded by Major Roberton set off for China. While en route, news of the Indian Mutiny arrived. They were immediately diverted to India and equipped as light infantry. The battalion completed their new task splendidly drawing praise for a career 'short but brilliant and eminently serviceable to the country'. This service, which included the relief of Lucknow, was marked by awards of the Victoria Cross to Farrier Michael Murphy and Private Samuel Morley for gallantry in saving the life of the Adjutant of the 3rd Sikh Cavalry. Private Warsap was to spend 2 years 2 months in the region.

The remains of the Residency, the centre of the Siege of Lucknow during
the Indian Mutiny, 1857. The ruins of the whole area are carefully preserved in the
condition they were in when the siege ended.

Private Thomas Warsap qualified for a Good Conduct Badge on the 18th of April 1866, for which he received twopence extra pay. His name appeared in the Regimental Defaulters Book eleven times, but he was never tried by Court Martial. He was awarded the Indian Mutiny Medal with clasps for Relief of Lucknow and Lucknow. After completing service to the 7th November 1867, he took his discharge, in Dublin, with a total of 11 years and 357 days service to the Colours.

At the time of his discharge his intended place of residence was recorded as 8 Washington Street, Bromley-by-Bow, London.